GAME abandons Gamestation name

Update: Managers have confirmed that all 122 Gamestation stores are to be rebranded as GAME, as the UK’s largest video games retailer consolidates its business.

Gamestation – exiting the High Street

Update:GAME has confirmed the news and said that the rebranding will take place between September and October. 122 Gamestation outlets will be transformed into GAME stores, making for 341 in total in the UK.‘We are all incredibly excited about the fresh start that we have with Game Retail. GAME will build on the best of both brands to deliver excellence for gamers and unrivalled value for the UK gaming community,’ said CEO Martyn Gibbs.‘’For example, the Gamestation trade-in proposition, ‘We Won’t Be Beaten On Trade-In’, will continue under the new unified brand and likewise the existing passionate and knowledgeable Gamestation staff will stay with us and continue to work in the rebranded stores to provide support and advice for all levels of gamer.’GAME is planning a number of new promotions for October, including Game Hunter which ‘allows customers to access the company’s entire range, ensuring that gamers can get hold of all types of game, both old and new, physical and digital, order it and have it delivered it to any UK address’.There’ll also be free Wi-Fi access in all stores, more interactive in-store consoles and tablets, a new GAME app, a new post-Gamestation loyalty card, and more PC downloads.

Original story:

Gamestation as a brand is dead, with the owners announcing that all reaming stores are to be rebranded as regular GAME outlets. GAME acquired Gamestation from Blockbuster in 2007, but has always kept it as a separate chain with its own name, website, and marketing.

According to trade paper MCV this is now all set to end, although there’s been no official confirmation beyond an announcement at a retailer conference today.

Last week CEO Martyn Gibbs hinted that the rebranding was happening, saying: ’At the moment we’re researching with our store teams and various different gamer sets across the UK to determine what they want from a specialist.’At the same time he also indicated that despite closing GAME’s flagship Oxford Street store the company was looking to open another major outlet somewhere else in London’s West End.The move to rebrand Gamestation was likely precipitated by GAME’s recent dice with death, which almost saw the company going bankrupt and led to the closure of several stores – particularly those where there were multiple GAME or Gamestation shops in the same town.So far there’s no indication that the rebranding will see any more closures, although if it means that many towns will again have more than one GAME that may be the end result of the move.